Apparatus for the manufacture of water-gas



(No Modql.)

J. ASKINS.-, APPARATUS FOR TH 130-. 478,305.:

E MANUFACTURE OPWATERGAS.

Patented July 5, 1892.

lmeigtor. I diwgvfimizm .iosnrn ASKINS, or LIMA, 01110.

.APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF WATER- GAS.

SPEfJIFICATION forming part. of Letters Patent No. 478,305, dated July 5, 18 92.

Application filed January 9, 1892. Serial No. 417,580. (No model-l lie it known that l, JOSEPH ASKINS, a citizen oithe United States, residing at Lima, in the county of Allen and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for the illannfaeturc of Gas, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for the manufacture of water-gas; and it consists in a gasenerator in which are located refractorygas-superhcating rotor-ts that communicate with the interior of the generator on one hand and with a Water seal, a washer, or a holder on the other; also, in combination with L\\;llt}l'-1ttr generator of steam-superheating pipes or passages placed in the re.- iractory ueneratonlining and arranged to delivcr superheated steam beneath the generator-grate, and, further, in the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts in a gasgcncrator, as hereimfter more fullydescribed, and then pointed out in the claims.

in the annexed drawings, illustrating the invention, Figure l is a sectional elevation of my in'ipreved apparatus forum-king" watergas. Fig. 2 is a plan of the g'assuperheating rctorts.

Referring to the drawinga'the numeral 1 designates an iron or steel shell which forms the outer wall of the gas-generator. This generator is provided with a lining 2, of tirebrick or other refractory material, and hasa grate 3 and se,ll'-sealin doors i, 5, and 6, as shown. The door t is arranged to give access to the space below the gratobars for the purpose of cleaning out ashes and cindcrs and also to serve as an air-inlet when needed. The door or doors 5 above the grate give no cess to the generator when it is necessary to clean out the elinlrors from the grate-bars and from the side walls, and these doors also a serve for use in kindling the tire. The door (3 is located in the upper part of the "cnorator for use in charging theapparatusaud replenlshiug the fuel.

For the purpose of providing an economical supply of superheated steam for use in the mmiuizueture of water-gas, andat the same time to protect the steam-pipes from damage by a close contact with fire, I place horizontally in the generatoulining or inner fire-brick wall tubular steam-superheaters 7',

that are provided at their ends with stufling-. boxes 8,10eated on the outside of the ge'nerator-shell. These tubular steam-supcrheaters 7 afford passages and protecting: coverings or casings for steam-pipes 9 and 10, that are extended through said casings and their stuflingboxes, as shown. This construction not only I protects the steam-pipes 8 and 9"fr0m injury by direct contact with the fire or heated firebrick; but in case the inclosed steam-pipes become defective or damaged in any way they. can be readily removed and replaced Without injury to the generator-walls. Steam is admittcd into the pipes 9 and 10 at the point 11 from any convenient source, and while passing' through said pipes, inclosed inthe superheatcrs 7, it becomes thoroughly dried and superheated before "entering a pipe 12, by 7o which it is discharged into the generator ashpit at a point below the grate-bars. This pipe 12 may be provided with a hand-valve 13 for controlling the admission of steam into the generator.

The several sections of steam-pipes-9, 10, and 12 may be connected by suitable bends, elbows, or couplings 14 outside the generatorwalls.

Above and in close proximity to the bed of incandescent coke in the generator are supported any desired nu mber of parallel r'etorts or super-heaters 15 and 16, that are preferably cylindrical in form and composed of fireclay or other suitable refractory material.

Although I have shown only two of these retorts in the form of apparatus illustrated, it is obviousthat there may be more, if desired. The ends of these I'OiOltS are inserted'into openings formed in the fire-brick 1ining'2, andcoumninicatc through openings in the shell 1 with castiron Ts or couplings 17,18, and il secured to the outside of theffrenera; tor. The coupling 17 connects two adjacent" retorts at one end in such a manner as to cstahiish communication between them. The coupling or couplings 1S connect the first retort of the series with the interior of the gcn-- orator above the bed of fuel, and the coup ling 19 connects the last retort. of the series with a pipe 20, leading to a washer, water seal, or holder, as hereinafter described. 7 At the top of the gas-generator is a purgevalve 21 for use in producing a draft when it becomes necessary to reheat the generatorin th intervals between the runs of gas. The retort-coupling 19 is provided with a similar purge-valve 22 for use in heating the retorts rapidly when required. These valves 21 and 22 are also safety-valves, and are so arranged that a gas-pressu re of one pound in the generator will raise either or both of them, thereby relieving the pressure. Each valve is provided with a suitable operating-lever 23, by which the valve can be raised or'opened at will, the closing of the valve being eitected by gravity when the lever is released.

The water-gas generator is charged with coke to a point immediately below a passage or opening 24, through which the retorts 15 and 16 communicate with the interior of said generator. After the apparatus has been properly heated water-gas is made by admit ting superheated steam through the pipes t), 10, and 12 into the lower part of thegcnerator below the grate, whence it passes upward through the body of incandescent coke, and is thereby decomposed and converted into The gas thus produced passes through the opening 21 and couplings 18 into the retort or gas-s11 perheater 15, and thence th rough the coupling 17 into the retort or superheater 16, and while it remains in these superheating-retorts it. is converted into a fixed gas by the intense heat to which the refractory rctorts are subjected. From the retort 1d the ,Q'as is conveyed through the coupling 19 and pipe 530 to a washer or to any suitable gasholder, as may be preferred.

As shown in the drawings, the exit end of the pipe 20 may be submerged in a water seal formed by a body of water contained in a closed tank 25, which is provided with a gasexit pipe 26, that may lead to any suitable gas-holder (not shown) or to the place of consuinption. In passing through the water seal In my apparatus the retorts 15 and 1h serve as gas-superheaters, and being: close to the coke-fire are always hot, which enables the gas-runs to be continued from two to three times longer than in anyotherapparatusnow in use.

Instead of employing a blower for use in creating a draft when reheatin the generator between the runs of gas, I open the doors 4: and 6 slightly and raise the valve 21, thus causing a draft which soon rehcats the generator without the waste of much fuel. If the retorts 15 and 16 need a little extra heat, the valve 21 is closed and the valve 22 opened, which allowsall the heat to pass through the retorts, thus beating them very rapidly and with a small consumption of fuel as compared with the reheating of other generators.

hat I claim as my invention is- 1. In an apparatus for the manufacture of water-gas, the combination of a gas-generator having a purgcwalvc in its upper part, horizontal parallel gas-supcrheating retorts located in the generator and oolnn'lunicating with each other and with the interior of the generator above the bed of fuel, a purge-valve connected with one of said rctorts, a gas-exit pipe leading from said gas-supcrhcating re torts, and steam-pipes communicating with the lower part of the generator below its grate, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus for the immutactnre of water-gas, the combination of a generator having a purgewalve in its upper part and provided with a grate and with self-scaling doors located above and below the grate, horizontal parallel gas-su 'ierheathnz; retorts located in the generator above the bed of fuel and communicating with each other and with the interior of the generator, a purge-valve connected with one of said retorts, a gas-exit pipe leading from the rctorts, and steam-pipes coinnlunicatil'ig with the lower part of the generator below its grate, substantially as dcscribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and at'iixed my seal in presence of two suliscribinp witnesses.

JOtiltil ll Afw lillvfrl. [11s.]

Witnesses:

WILL Hansen, .1. M. Harman. 

